From Little Acorns Mighty Oaks Doth Grow
by Jemmiah
Summary: The extended Jinn family begin to find living with each other a real challenge..
1. Default Chapter Title

TITLE: From Little Acorns (Mighty Oaks doth grow)…

This story is set approx. three months after "I Promise You"

NB: Obi-Wan is fifteen (just) in this story.

**********************************

The eye closed; long dark lashes folding shut in fastidious concentration. 

Intrigued, the other eye stared straight ahead. 

The object placed under such intense scrutiny was, on the face of it, nothing spectacular. A medium sized pot filled nearly to the top with rather moist soil sat on the side of the dining table, with its admirer merely inches away. Chin resting on bended arm, Jemmiah continued to stare in rapt fascination at the little mound of earth. 

It wasn't so much the soil that was interesting but the contents…

"What have you got there?" A deep voice from over her shoulder asked.

"N-nothing." Jemmy replied quickly.

Qui-Gon frowned in puzzlement. It wasn't like Jemmiah to remain so still and silent for any length of time. Especially when occupied with something as mundane and seemingly normal as a bowl of compost.

"If it's nothing, why has it got you so enraptured?" Qui-Gon folded his arms. "What are you up to?"

Jemmiah turned a hurt expression on him.

"It's a project we've got at school." She replied in an injured tone. "We've been given three bulbs to grow. We have to see who can grow them the fastest and who gets the biggest flowers on them. That sort of thing. And let me tell you, there's a LOT of competition."

Qui-Gon's puzzlement grew as quickly as his smile did.

"I never had you down as a lover of nature." He apologized, leaning in for a closer inspection of the plant pot.

"I'm not that bothered usually," Jemmy admitted, "but this is interesting."

"But it's not doing anything." He said. "How can you find it so thrilling?"

"It is," Jemmy let her brooding stare fall back on the soil, "you just can't see it."

"Oh." Qui-Gon stifled a laugh at her expression. "Well, if you'll forgive me for saying this, I'm not sure that your staring at it will help it to grow any quicker."

"Course it will." She said defiantly.

The Jedi master shook his head ruefully. She'd been living with them now for three months and just when he thought he had her more or less sussed out she'd go and surprise him again. 

"And how will it do that?"

"I'm not just staring at it," the ten-year-old tilted her head to one side. "I'm thinking nice thoughts at it to get it to grow quicker."

Qui-Gon looked at her in astonishment.

"And what are you thinking of?" He asked.

"Well, I'm trying to picture what it'll look like when it's all grown up and beautiful with lots of flowers. And I'm thinking how tall it's going to get."

She stood up, with her hands grasped protectively round the pot.

"But most of all I'm picturing Sophie Digwurt's plant all scabby and chewed up by killer Chomp Weeds!" She grinned, walking away to sit down on the couch.

Qui-Gon regarded her as she stared intently into the soil again.

"It's nice to know the fair play ethic is still alive and well in modern schooling." He muttered.

****************************

Mealtime had passed in an unusually silent fashion.

Obi-Wan had sat down and stuffed himself as was befitting a constantly starving, growing young man of fifteen. The normal source of noise and chatter however was still preoccupied with the plant pot that sat next to her on the table, and for the first time in three months Qui-Gon found himself in the awkward position of being the one forced to make the conversation. His padawan didn't seem to mind. Infact, Jinn was under the impression that was one of the reasons that Obi-Wan had been so happy that the young girl had come to live with them. 

It meant that he could get on with his meal all the quicker.

Qui-Gon sighed inwardly as he watched Jemmiah pick up her spoon, eyes still on the pot at the side, and slowly, very slowly begin to bring the food towards her lips. At the last minute she remembered to open her mouth.

"What did Zac have to say for himself today then, Obi-Wan?"

"Mmmmmph."

"Sorry?"

Obi-Wan swallowed the food in his mouth.

"Nothing."

"You must have discussed something?"

"Not really." He tucked into his sweet with all the gusto of a hungry wood ant. 

This was getting ridiculous, thought Qui-Gon.

"Is it true that if you talk to plants they grow faster?" Jemmiah asked suddenly.

Qui-Gon considered it.

"Well, they have done research into this subject and although they couldn't find anything conclusive, they do think that it's possible."

"Was that a yes or a no?" Jemmiah asked, her brows furrowing.

"Yes." Jinn said, taking a mouthful of water.

"Then how does it work?" She hesitated. "Plants don't have ears. How do they hear?"

How does she come up with these questions, Jinn wondered.

"Well," he thought as considered his answer, "it's to do with vibrations. They can't pick up on the actual words but they can feel the sound waves around them."

"Like the force?"

"Exactly like the force." Qui-Gon smiled, pleased to be back on a subject he knew something about. "The plant is a living thing. The force is in all living things…"

"It's not in Sophie Digwurt." She growled.

We're going to have to do something about that Corellian temper, thought Qui-Gon to himself.

"Even in Sophie Digwurt." Qui-Gon replied.

"I want proof of that." Sniffed the girl.

Qui-Gon put down his spoon.

"What's the legendary Miss Digwurt done to get you all riled up?" He asked.

Jemmiah chewed the same mouthful of food for a good long while.

"She said my plant wouldn't grow because it wouldn't want to see my ugly, Corellian face." She pouted.

"Did she?" Qui-Gon became indignant. "First of all you are NOT ugly."

"I am! Everyone thinks I am! They call me freaky eyes!"

"Why?" Obi-Wan managed to say through a mouthful of toffee.

"Because my eyes are a funny color."

"They are NOT a funny color. They are a lovely color." Qui-Gon reassured her. "They're just unusual."

"Master Qui-Gon's right." Obi-Wan nodded. "They're just jealous."

"Quite so, padawan." Agreed Jinn.

"And they keep laughing at me coz I'm so skinny." Jemmiah looked at the table.

"You will grow in time." He pointed to the pot. "Like that plant."

"It's not doing much of anything either." She sighed.

Qui-Gon watched the sorrowful expression.

"Perhaps I should have a word with this girl." He said.

"N-no. Don't do that!" Jemmiah pleaded. "It'll only make things a hundred times worse." 

A small smile crept onto her face.

"Anyhow there's no need. I've already taken care of her."

"How?" Qui-Gon dreaded the answer.

"It doesn't matter." She said impishly. "Just something to make sure she doesn't tangle with me again."

Qui-Gon considered mentioning that he didn't think that revenge was the right way to go about things but then he saw that her mood had lightened and decided to let it rest. For a few minutes more nothing disturbed the silence except for the sound of contented munching.

"Do you know what else Digwurt said?" Jemmiah spat the word out.

"Oh, I'm always happy to hear what our leading horticultural expert has to say." Qui-Gon smiled.

"She said that if I was a plant I'd be a stunted weed, or a piece of Corelli Bog Wrack coz the slugs are the only thing that'll touch it."

"She sounds delightful." Obi-Wan said dryly, remembering his own torment at the hands of Bruck Chun for so many years.

"And she also said that the Jedi were a bunch of con artists and tricksters, and that I couldn't get my plant to grow even if the force DID exist, which it didn't."

"Sounds like a challenge to me." Qui-Gon remarked.

"That's what I thought." Jemmiah agreed. "So it'll be up to me to prove her wrong."

"Good." Smiled the master. "I'm sure you will."

He watched as his padawan helped himself to another slice of toffee cake, then switched his vision back to the girl who was once again hawkishly staring at the plant pot.

I hope this plant surfaces rapidly, he thought, because if it doesn't everyone's life is going to be made a Corellian hell…

************************

The morning began as usual for Qui-Gon.

He woke up, looked at the time on the chrono by his bed and sent cheery and wakeful thoughts to his padawan.

As usual his padawan ignored them.

Then he wrapped his robe around him and ventured out onto the balcony, again sending Obi-Wan his morning alarm call.

Again his padawan ignored him.

Qui-Gon proceeded with his regime by breathing in the air deeply, trying to persuade his heart and lungs that he hadn't left them along with his body, behind in bed, this time issuing Obi-Wan with a stern reminder that it was time to venture forth into the land of the living and see what glorious things the force would throw at them on this truly wonderful Coruscant morning.

Obi-Wan responded in typical fashion by placing his cushion over his head.

The next port of call for Qui-Gon was the kitchen to pour himself a glass of fresh Citrus juice. This was the point (today being no exception) where he would inform Obi-Wan that if he wished to eat anything at all that morning he had better look lively and move his rear to the dining area.

Just as ever, the bleary eyed padawan threw open his door and hastened to the kitchen.

Qui-Gon ended the morning ritual as he always did by thanking the force that he knew his padawans' weaknesses…

A small sound interrupted his thoughts as he bustled round in the kitchen, preparing to make the toast. He glanced towards the couch.

"What are you doing up so early?" He asked.

Jemmiah straightened up from her bent double position.

"I'm talking to my bulbs!" she frowned.

Qui-Gon could now see three pots instead of the one she had shown him the day before.

"Do you not think you're perhaps taking this a little too seriously? He enquired.

"No way am I going to let that reptile beat me." She muttered.

Jemmiah bent over again.

"Listen, I'll strike a deal with you, OK? You start growing and I'll buy you a bigger pot. How about that?"

"It's not going to answer you." Jinn said flatly.

"I know, I know!" Jemmy pulled an impudent face. "I'm just giving it some encouragement."

"Seeing as you're up, perhaps you should get changed for school."

Jemmy looked at him in horror.

"It's the weekend!"

"Is it?" Qui-Gon frowned. " Sith! So it is."

Jemmy grinned.

"You said a bad word. I win!"

"What do you mean by that?" Qui-Gon couldn't understand what she was talking about.

"I had a bet with my bulbs that I could get you to swear within ten minutes of your getting up. I won, so now they have to start growing."

"I'm not convinced it works like that." Qui-Gon said, faintly embarrassed that he'd cursed in front of a ten-year-old.

"Course it does." She frowned at the soil again. "I'm not asking so much, am I? I'm only asking you to do what comes naturally…and anyhow, if you don't start growing in the next couple of days I'm going to drop you out of a high building!"

"Jemmiah!" Qui-Gon warned.

"Well, it's enough to drive anyone stark raving mad! How long do these things take to grow? I've been doing everything to help 'em and absolutely nothing has happened."

"These things take time. And if you drop them out of a window that's not exactly going to help you get one over on Ms Digwurt, is it?"

"Who says?" Jemmiah grinned. "I'd make sure she was underneath the window at the time!"

She picked up one of the pots. 

"I'm sure you'll grow for me. I mean, you could have had Sophie tending to you. How would you have liked that, eh?"

Obi-Wan sauntered over; his short spiky hair and braid in considerable disarray.

"Master, why is Jemmy talking to the plant pot?"

Qui-Gon thought about it.

"Not now, Obi-Wan. It's too early in the morning for silly questions. And far too early for my even sillier answers."

**************************

Two days later and nothing had emerged from the soil.

"What am I doing wrong?" Jemmy moaned.

"You aren't doing anything wrong. Perhaps there was something wrong with the bulbs."

"More likely I killed them." She mumbled. "I seem to have the knack of doing that."

"Pardon?" Qui-Gon frowned.

She waved his question away.

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't look like I'm going to be winning any competitions, does it? Sophie Digwurt's bulbs have already started to poke above the surface."

"Nature's a funny thing." Qui-Gon smiled. "It doesn't necessarily follow that because your school colleague has got plants that are beginning to sprout that everyone else's will be the same."

"Figures." Jemmiah snorted. "Trust me to get the backward ones."

Qui-Gon tried to think of something comforting to say but felt he had just about exhausted his stock supply of consolatory words. It was a considerable relief therefor, when Mace Windu turned up outside his door.

"What's happening?" Mace asked. "There's nearly always some catastrophe or disaster round at your place so I thought I'd drop in on the off chance."

"You have no idea." Qui-Gon replied wearily. "I'm caught in the middle of school warfare and the Coruscant gardening society!"

Jemmiah walked over to Mace with a forlorn expression on her face.

"Why aren't my bulbs growing? You're on the council. You're s'posed to be smart. Tell me what I'm doing wrong, please? Otherwise Digwurt's gonna win and I might be forced to do something REALLY horrible."

"Who is Digwurt?" Mace screwed up his face.

"You don't want to know." Qui-Gon sighed.

Mace looked at the sad expression and melted. As Jemmiah had hoped he would.

"Hmmm. I'm not the green fingered one around here. Usually it's Qui-Gon."

"I know. The balcony looks like an allotment and he still can't help me." She muttered. 

"Yoda has lots of plants." Why don't you ask him?"

"Do you think he'd speak to me?" Jemmy wondered. "He must be kinda busy."

"It's a good idea, Mace. Infact, it's a brilliant one. You take her to see him." Jinn smiled.

"Me?"

"It was your idea."

"But he was your master! And I see enough of him at Council meetings."

"He WAS my master. And I saw him everyday for seventeen years!"

"Point." Mace conceded.

Windu glanced down at Jemmiah.

"Oh, OK. C'mon then." He agreed reluctantly.

"Thanks Master Windu!" The gleam immediately returned to her eyes and left Mace wondering if perhaps the hang dog expression had been for his benefit.

Jemmiah grabbed her plant pot.

"Ready when you are sir!" She smirked.

Qui-Gon watched the pair of them leave. Ten years old and she already knew how to wrap a man around her little finger.

He didn't envy Mace at all.

*******************************

Knock-knock.

Silence.

Knock-knock-knock!

Silence.

Knock-knock-knock-knock!

"Master Yoda? May I have a word please?"

"Heard you I did. One moment you will wait." Yoda's voice grumbled over the intercom. "Old, I am. Move fast I cannot."

"He sounds kinda annoyed." Jemmiah whispered. "Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea."

"There's no need to be afraid of Yoda." Mace replied. "His bark is worse than his bite."

"He bites people?" Jemmiah jumped back a little.

"No, no. It's just an expression that means…oh, never mind. I thought you liked Master Yoda?"

"I do," Jemmy admitted, "I really like it when he sneaks up on Master Jinn and makes him jump!"

The door opened suddenly.

"Enter you may."

Mace managed to shuffle Jemmiah forward into the room with a guiding hand between her shoulder blades. The Corellian girl looked round Yoda's apartment and gawked.

"This is amazing!" She replied.

Well, she thought to herself, the smell was pretty awful but the place itself…

Everywhere she turned there was another variety of plant. Infact it was like wall to wall plants, with ivy creepers and marsh reeds and giant red leafed Aldera Lily pads sat in what looked like the middle of an artificially built lake. Only it was more of a swamp than a lake.

She could see Windu's nose begin to wrinkle in distaste at the smell.

"Like my home, you do?" Yoda regarded her through sleepy eyes.

"Did you do this?" Jemmiah asked. "It's incredible!"

"Hmm." Yoda nodded. "More to this old man than meets the eye there is, is that not right Master Windu?"

"Err..yeah." Said Mace, trying not to breathe in the strong, boggy smell.

Yoda looked amused.

"A cold you have?"

"Do, do." Mace shook his head. "I ab fine Baster Yoda."

"Hmmmmm." Yoda turned his eyes back to the Corellian child holding the plant pot. "Glad I am that you came to see me or visit you I would have." 

"Thanks, I think." Jemmy blinked.

"A problem you have." He stated rather than asked.

Jemmiah shrugged and proffered the plant pot.

"I can't get this to grow. Everyone else in my class at school have plants that have sprouted but mine are still mooching around under the soil. I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

Yoda wandered down a large log towards her, tapping on the wood with his stick.

"Believe you are at fault you do?" He asked.

"I can't think what else it could be." Jemmiah looked at her feet. 

"Hmph." Yoda snorted. "Blame things on yourself too much you do. Things not in your control."

"So it's not my fault?" Jemmy frowned as Yoda left his stick to one side and put his hands on the soil, frowning in concentration.

"Growing this plant is." He said eventually. "But slowly. Needs nurturing, it does."

"Then it's OK?" Her eyes lit up.

"Time it needs. Time and attention. Give it both and blossom it will."

Jemmiah frowned at the soil.

"Can I help it to grow? Is there something I can do?"

"Speed up time you would have me?" Yoda chuckled. "Grow at its own speed it will. But help it you can."

"How?" Jemmy asked curiously. "I asked Master Jinn and Master Windu for advice but they weren't much help."

Yoda's eyes travelled to Mace.

"Not an expert when it comes to the living force is this one." He nodded at Windu. "What said Master Jinn?"

"To wait and let nature take its course."

"And right he is." Yoda agreed. "Learned well my padawan has. Listen to Master Jinn you should. Learn much from him you will. And from his padawan." 

Yoda closed his eyes momentarily as if trying to see something which wasn't quite there.

"Unhappy you are." He said.

"No." Jemmiah disagreed. "I like it here. It's just…I want to be normal. Like everyone else."

"Hrmph!" Yoda's eyes snapped open. "Pleased you should be that you are different. Tell me what you think is normal. Like your friends at school?"

Jemmiah thought about it.

"Maybe you're right." She considered. "If normal means being like Sophie Digwurt then I'm happy to stay as I am." 

Yoda nodded.

"What else?" He asked.

"It's just that I want to make a difference." She looked uncomfortable. "Nothing big. Everyone round here fits in and can do all sorts of things that I can't. I don't have the force."

"Think this matters to those who care for you?" Yoda asked.

"Well, no…"

Yoda looked straight at her.

"Make a difference you will. And a big difference it will be. But only in time."

"It seems to come down to time, doesn't it?" Jemmiah sighed. "I don't understand. What sort of difference?"

"Take the bulb." Yoda answered, "Be patient you will. Results you will see."

Mace was still hovering in the background, trying not to breathe through his nose. Yoda chuckled to himself.

"Wait outside, Master Windu. Speak with the imp alone I will."


	2. Default Chapter Title

"Well?" Qui-Gon asked when Mace escorted Jemmiah back, "what did he have to say?"

"He said you were right." Jemmiah didn't look too pleased. "He told me to show some patience."

Qui-Gon stood for a while with a puzzled expression.

"What's the matter?" Jemmiah frowned.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I could have sworn that you said something about Yoda telling you I was right."

"He did."

Jinn shook his head as if dazed.

"I'm going to immortalize this day in my diary."

"How come the troll sent me out of his home?" Mace grew curious.

"You're complaining?" Asked Qui-Gon.

"Not on y our life. I hate the stink of that place."

"How do you think I felt? It didn't do much for me in the romantic stakes. I always had to sneak round to my girlfriends homes and even then they complained that my robes smelled like they'd been rotting in a bog for weeks and weeks." He looked at Jemmiah. "Cover your ears."

"You had girlfriends?" She asked, suddenly interested.

"There's no need to sound so surprised." Qui-Gon said, slightly wounded. "Even despite Yoda's attempts to stop me with his ancient recipe for gruel I managed to grow into a reasonable figure of a man, even if I say so myself. Don't you think so?"

"Well," She began, "you're maybe a little past your best…perhaps if you got rid of the beard?"

Qui-Gon looked shocked.

"I don't think so." He replied. "This beard and I go a long way back. I'm not shaving it off for anybody, and especially not to satisfy the curiosity of a ten year old girl who should be doing her mathematics homework."

"Rats." Complained Jemmy. "Nevermind. I'll get you one day. I'll make it my life's work to have that beard removed."

"Absolutely no way." Jinn answered with a smile.

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. Whilst he was singing your praises," Jemmiah placed the plant pot on the table next to the other two, "he also said that I couldn't really expect you both to help because when it came to the more practical, hands on aspects of gardening you were both totally useless."

Mace growled.

"He said that did he? From someone who spends his private life hanging around a giant swamp I think that's a bit rich!"

"How could he say that about me?" Jinn demanded, pointing to the collection of ferns on his balcony. 

"Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger." Jemmiah looked back and forth between the three plant pots.

"I can see what Yoda means about you. "Jinn looked at Mace. "You single handedly managed to kill off virtually every decent plant in the herb gardens when you had that punishment for pulling Quirida-Xac's chair away from underneath him using the force."

"It wasn't my fault!" Mace declared indignantly. "I thought they were weeds! And what about you? Force feeding Yoda's plants gruel for years and years? That as good as makes you a mass murderer!"

"I'm a better gardener than you any day!"

"Oh yeah?"

"You know it!"

"Garbage!"

"It's true." Qui-Gon said smugly.

Jemmiah looked at him with large, rounded eyes.

"Prove it." She said.

"Pardon?"

"I said prove it." She pushed one pot over to Qui-Gon. "You take that one and…" she pushed the other at Mace, "You take that one. Let's see which of the three of us gets their plant the biggest."

Mace looked uncertain.

"I dunno…"

"What are you scared of, Mace?" Qui-Gon remarked. "Are you afraid that a ten year old girl is going to beat you?"

"Of course not!"

"Well then. Do as she says. Prove it!"

The self-satisfied gleam in Qui-Gon's eye was all the challenge that Windu needed to rise to the bait.

"OK. Fine. I accept." He shot his hand forward and shook on it. "May the best man win."

"I think not." Jemmiah grinned. 

"Haven't you got studies to see to?" Qui-Gon reminded her.

"Yes." Jemmiah picked up her plant. "In a little while. I'm going to water my plant first."

"You don't want to over water it." Qui-Gon suggested.

"Whoa, Qui-Gon. She's the enemy now. If she wants to kill the thing that's up to her."

"You are also the enemy." Jinn smiled at Mace. "Go attend to your plant."

Sighing, Mace picked up the identical pot and poked his finger into the soil. Despite his bravado he knew very little about plants. 

"Is this soil too dry, do you think?" He asked.

"Uh-uh. Not saying." Qui-Gon refused to help. "Figure it out for yourself."

Mace hooked a protective arm round the circumference of the pot and walked towards the door.

"I only came in to see if there was anything interesting happening." He muttered.

*******************************

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP…

"Oh, force preserve us. What is it NOW?" Qui-Gon hissed, standing up and laying to one side the training schedule he'd prepared for his padawan over the next month.

There was a brief lull and the irritating pounding of music suddenly ceased as quickly as it had started. Qui-Gon blew out an annoyed breath. Which one of them was awake and playing music at this time of evening?

Then it started again.

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP…

"I don't believe this." He gritted his teeth. 

Someone was going to regret this.

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP…

It was roughly 11.30 at night, give or take a few minutes. Not the sort of time for children to be up and playing loud music. Shutting his ears against the din, Qui-Gon strained his senses to see which of the two was the culprit, although he had a fair idea. Sure enough, he discovered his padawan was teetering on the edge of consciousness whilst Jemmiah was very much awake…

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP…

"That does it. If she thinks that she's getting away with this…"

Qui-Gon forced himself to calm down a degree or two before striding purposefully to Jemmiah's room. He paused for a brief moment, rapping twice on the door with his knuckles and then pushing the door open.

Jemmiah turned to face him with an extremely guilty expression on her face.

"Do you have ANY idea of the time?" He asked coldly.

"N-no." Jemmy frowned.

"Look at the chrono." 

Jemmiah squinted up at the wall chrono.

"It's 11.29…whoops! It is a little late I s'pose." She confessed.

"What do you think you are doing playing music at this hour? And why aren't you dressed f or bed?"

"I'm not tired." She grumbled.

Qui-Gon looked closely at her.

"That is a blatant lie." He tried to look intimidating.

"I'm NOT!" She answered. "And the music wasn't my idea. It was Master Yoda's. He said that instead of speaking to my plant I could try playing some music…"

"Not at going on midnight." Qui-Gon glared.

"But he said…"

"Master Yoda is a very wise and honorable being but this is NOT Master Yoda's house. He is NOT in charge of you." Jinn folded his arms. "I am. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No sir." Jemmiah looked at the floor.

Qui-Gon nodded.

"I expect you to show some consideration for others whilst you live under my protection. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Good." He looked round the room. She'd managed to gather a fair amount of possessions in the three months since she'd arrived at the temple but her room was still neat and spotless. Obi-Wan on the other hand had very few personal belongings and yet his room always managed to transform itself into a hovel. He'd never understood how this happened. 

It was something he classified as one of the hidden mysteries of the force.

"I'm sorry about the music." Jemmy shrugged. "I could always get some personal ear sets and…"

"Get changed for bed and go to sleep." He instructed.

"But I'm not sleepy!" Jemmiah insisted.

One look at Qui-Gon told her he wasn't buying it.

"I am going to check on you in twenty minutes and I want to see you either asleep or giving a very good impersonation of someone who is." He stared levelly at her.

He could have sworn she was on the verge of stamping her foot at him but she backed down with a curt nod, refusing to look him in the eye.

"Goodnight. AGAIN." He said, shutting the door on a very angry young lady.

**************************

Fifteen minutes had passed and Qui-Gon decided it was time to make his inspection.

He could tell she was still awake because he could feel the frustration, the annoyance and the exhaustion flooding from her in waves. He hoped she was at least attempting to get some sleep or there was going to be trouble…

His hopes were quickly dashed when he saw a light on from underneath her door.

Right, thought Qui-Gon silently, she's picked a fight with the wrong person…

This time the door flew open without any warning.

Jemmiah looked positively shocked.

"You said twenty minutes!" She said through a creaky voice.

"As I said earlier, I am the head of this household. I make the rules."

"That's not fair!"

Qui-Gon gave her a look that told her he was not joking this time.

"Give it here." He held his hand out for the little torch that she'd been using. "I don't allow Obi-Wan to read after hours and I am not making an exception for you."

"I wasn't reading!" She said sulkily. "I was shining it on my plant!"

Jinn looked firstly at her and then the pot with the soil in it.

"This has gone too far." He marched over to her bed and picked up the plant pot and the torch.

"What are you doing?" Jemmiah demanded.

Qui-Gon didn't even answer her, simply turned his back and marched through to the balcony, putting the pot down with all the other plants that were out there.

"No, not out there," Jemmy pleaded as she followed him out, "it's cold! How's it s'posed to grow when it's all frozen?"

He turned back to face her.

"Get back into bed."

"I'm not tired." She said belligerently. "Can't I get a hot drink?"

"No."

"Why?"

"You're just stalling."

"I don't want to go to sleep!"

"Why not?"

"Because."

"That's hardly an answer."

"Just…because. I'm not ready." He could see her digging her nails into her hands to stop her from shouting and causing an even bigger scene.

"Not good enough." He took a step forward. "I will not be dictated to by a sulky child who wants everything her own way. We'll talk about your behavior tomorrow. Now, for the last time: GET TO BED or I really will be angry."

Jemmiah once again looked as if she was going to give him an argument. She shot a brief look of disgust at her plant stuck out on the balcony and virtually fried Qui-Gon with a furious glare before stalking back to her room and slamming the door.

For the first time since he'd brought her back Qui-Gon wondered if he'd done the right thing in letting her stay with them. It had been the first full-scale battle between them. OK, he'd won the battle but he didn't think that discussing the matter tomorrow was going to bring about any kind of resolution.

He sighed, realizing that with all the hullabaloo the urge to sleep had completely worn off…

***************************

Mace sat and stared at the soil.

He wondered how he always seemed to end up involved in somebody else's hair brained schemes no matter how hard he tried to avoid them. He didn't suppose there was much harm in it, after all plenty of people kept plants in their homes to help oxygenate the place.

And if Qui-Gon was looking for a friendly rival then he'd chosen the right man.

All their lives it seemed that the two of them, along with Dex, had always been getting into trouble. Always finding invisible potholes to fall into. Always showing off and competing with each other.

Usually Qui-Gon won.

Windu chuckled as he prepared to do a search for information on houseplants on his computer. 

This time he would come out on top.

That would take the smile off Jinn's face!

*********************

From somewhere in the distance, somewhere beyond the fringes of wakefulness, Qui-Gon heard something that disturbed him. He didn't know what it was, just that it was demanding his urgent attention. Swimming against the tide of sleep Qui-Gon struggled to bring himself to full consciousness, the mist still firmly wrapped around his mind.

He heard it again.

Blinking the sleep from his eyes the master sat up in bed, listening intently this time. He didn't have long to wait.

A scream.

A shorter one followed soon after.

Swinging his long legs over the side of his bed, Qui-Gon threw on his robe and bolted straight for Jemmiah's room from where the screaming had come from. Even before he had got to his door he could hear her yelling and screaming again.

"Lights on." He commanded, screwing up his face as the light hit his pupils.

She'd managed to fall off her bed and onto the floor taking half the blankets with her, most of which were wrapped round her legs in a tangled mass. That had probably explained the dull thud he thought he'd heard initially on stirring from his sleep. Still fully asleep and yet half sat up and shouting and screaming at something beyond him that he couldn't see, Jemmiah struggled in futile fashion to kick at the imprisoning blankets on her lower body.

Qui-Gon bent down beside her.

"Easy, easy." He tried to calm her down with the force.

It didn't seem to have much affect.

He saw Obi-Wan at the doorway.

"Master, what is it? What's wrong?" He asked in confusion.

"She's having a nightmare, that's all." Qui-Gon replied.

"That's all?" Obi-Wan stared at her. "It's enough to wake the dead!"

Jemmiah screamed something out in Corellian that Qui-Gon couldn't make out. There wasn't much use for ancient Corellian any more as the planet had used Basic for millennia, although it was still taught on the principle of national identity being so important. Qui-Gon had never had the need to learn it but decided to try remembering the words the girl was uttering in hope of unravelling this nightmare at a later day. Dex Berlingside spoke fluent Corellian. He'd almost certainly know…

"Can't we wake her up?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Too dangerous." Qui-Gon replied. "We'll have to let this one play itself out. Why don't you go and make some hot chocolate for the three of us, hmm?"

"Er…yes, master." Kenobi glanced back at the squirming figure as Qui-Gon held her gently.

He was glad he didn't have to share her dreams.

Jemmiah yelled something else that Qui-Gon didn't understand and then suddenly sat bolt upright, gasping for air.

"Shhh. You're alright now." He said gently. "It's Ok. It was just a nightmare."

If she heard him she gave no recognition. 

This has gone on far too long, he thought, as he watched her start to tremble violently with shock. She'd had nightmares before, noticeably on the flight back from Nargotria but absolutely nothing like this…

"Hush," he said, brushing the hair back from her face, "you'll be fine. Do you want to talk about it?"

Eventually he was rewarded by a short shake of the head, interspersing the shivering.

"Come on then." He tried to remove the blankets from round her in an effort to redress the bed.

She shook her head.

"You can't spend the night down here." He said calmly but firmly. Suddenly he got some insight as to her behaviour a few hours before.

"Have you had these dreams before?" He asked.

He wasn't surprised when she nodded.

"Last night? The night before?" He enquired carefully.

She nodded again.

"Is this why you didn't want to go to bed?"

Nod.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

This time he received a shrug.

"They weren't as bad as this?"

Another nod.

He reached for her dressing gown and draped it over her shoulders.

"You can speak to me you know. If you're having problems you should tell me about them. If you keep things to yourself then they only get worse. Now, are you sure you don't want to talk about your dream?"

She shook her head again.

Qui-Gon sighed. If she wouldn't talk then there wasn't an awful lot he could do to help. And he had no doubts that if she didn't talk these nightmares were going to become a semi-regular occurrence. Somehow he had to persuade her to speak to somebody, even if she wouldn't thank him for it.

"Right then," He said as he helped her shakily to her feet, "come on. Something tells me that none of us are going to get much sleep tonight so we may as well all be awake together. I think Obi-Wan's making a hot drink as I instructed."

He heard the sound of munching somewhere in the distance.

"I think he's raiding the refrigerator as I DIDN'T instruct him." He added dryly. "Let's see what damage he's managed to inflict on the supplies, shall we?"

***************************

Four hours later and the light streamed in from the balcony and onto Qui-Gon's face, causing him to wake up for a second time. He'd sent Obi-Wan back to bed but Jemmiah had finally fallen into a troubleless sleep on the couch by his side. Wincing at the awkward position his body had been forced to adopt he carefully moved himself away from the sleeping girl and over to the holoterminal.

Yoda answered him not long afterwards.

"Tired you look." He said a touch too smugly for Jinn's liking.

"So would you be if you'd had the night I'd just had." He replied. "Master, I need your advice."

"Your young ward does not dream the dreams of pleasant sleep." Yoda stated.

Qui-Gon looked at Yoda's image.

"May I ask as to how you know this?" He asked.

"Know me well you should, Qui-Gon." Yoda smiled. "Problems this one has."

"I'm not sure how best to proceed. I confess to being a little worried this time."

"Seen too much she has in her short life." Yoda nodded. "Disturbing her it is. Talk the problem through you must. Tend to her as if she were that plant. Leave her in the cold you must not."

"She won't speak to me."

Yoda seemed to consider this.

"Bring her before the healers."

"I think she's spent too much time there already." Qui-Gon sighed. "And I'm not sure what An-Paj can do other than perhaps…" he broke off suddenly as Yoda's true meaning sank in. "You mean the soul healers?"

Yoda watched the evident discomfort on Qui-Gon's face.

"She won't care for that." Jinn said.

"Do things to be popular, you do Qui-Gon?" Yoda asked. "Distasteful it may seem but for the best it is."

Qui-Gon agreed reluctantly.

"Speak with you later I will." Yoda smiled.

"Thank you, master." 

"Take care of that one you will or answer to me you shall." He chuckled, pointing beyond Qui-Gon to the slumbering girl on the couch.

"Yes master, Yoda."

****************************

Jemmiah awoke an hour later.

No matter what she did her eyes refused to open properly. It felt as though they had been gummed together during the night by some unseen glue-wielding maniac. Something felt odd…it didn't feel like her own bed.

Vaguely she thought she saw a large shadow standing infront of the source of light and forced her eyes to at least open into tiny slits. Master Jinn was awake.

So how come she was in the living area?

It came back to her with frightening clarity, causing her to groan at the memory. She'd refused to go back to her room because like a true coward she'd been too afraid.

Sophie Digwurt would have laughed herself sick if she'd known.

The horrid thought of that particular individual had suddenly reminded her that she had to get ready for school. With a grunt she forced herself to sit straight, causing the large shadow that was Qui-Gon Jinn to turn round.

"You're awake." He said with a half smile.

"What's the time?" She asked through a voice hoarse with screaming.

"That's not important today." He replied.

She frowned, trying to take in his meaning.

"But I've got school."

He responded by pointing at the plant pot, which now had the tiniest of tiny green shoots in the middle of the soil.

"YES!" She coughed/yelled as much as her poor abused throat would allow. " Good old Yoda! Who would have thought that playing Jizz would have that affect on a bulb! I can go to school and tell them…"

"No school for you today." Qui-Gon remarked.

She looked stunned.

"Why not?"

"You're tired and wouldn't get out of the temple without falling flat on your face."

"I'll be OK." She pulled herself up.

"I've already informed your school that you won't be going in today." He said.

He could see her looking at him as if trying to locate a reason for his bizarre behavior.

"I've made an appointment for you to see someone about your nightmares." He watched her squirm at the thought.

"Who?" She asked distrustfully.

"The soul healers within the temple."

She stared at him.

"What's one of them?" The suspicion growing in her voice all the time.

"Well," he began cagily, "they'll ask you some questions to try and establish what's at the root of these nightmares and then they'll see how best they can help you."

Her eyes became impossibly big.

"Head doctors?" She asked as if she hadn't heard right.

"It's not like that…"

"You want to take me to the loony brigade?"

"They're there to help you."

She looked anxiously at him.

"Do you think I'm mad?"

"Absolutely not!" Qui-Gon replied. "But you're under a lot of stress which you need to get sorted out and I believe this is the best way."

"I don't do the psychiatry thing!" She replied. "I'm fine! Why did you have to do this?"

"It's for your own good." He said softly. "If you don't like any of the question that they ask you have my word that you do not have to answer them."

"Promise?"

"You have my word on it."

She looked very uncomfortable, Qui-Gon thought, as he watched her shuffle her feet nervously.

"I bet Master Yoda wouldn't send me." She mumbled.

"What would you say if I told you this was Master Yoda's suggestion." He said gently.

All the fight seemed to dissolve from her suddenly.

"I don't know." She sulked. "You spend a day or so talking to a plant and they think you're a nut case!"


	3. Default Chapter Title

"Do I have to do this?"

"Yes."

"It's not fair."

"Stop whining, please."

"But how would you like it? If anyone in here finds out I've been to see a S.P.O.O.K then I'll never live it down."

"A what?" Qui-Gon asked.

Jemmiah sighed.

"It stands for SORT PROBLEMS OUT OK. Because they always start off by telling you they will and then they never do."

"That's not going to happen." Qui-Gon remarked. "Look, what will it take you to be convinced that they are all friendly people who want to help."

"It's only deranged people that have to go visit them." Jemmy replied.

"Obi-Wan has had cause to use their services in the past. Does he look deranged?"

She looked at him in total surprise.

"I've even had to come here on one occasion. Do I appear mad to you?"

She was about to say something and Qui-Gon cut her off.

"On second thoughts, don't answer that." He said, marching her onwards.

There was an interval of about ten seconds whilst Jemmiah digested this information, and Qui-Gon could almost see the wheels turning in her mind.

"Why were you brought here?" She asked.

"I wasn't brought here." He said. "I made the decision myself."

He sat down next to her on the chair outside the room that Jemmiah's appointment was for, looking at the troubled face. Somehow he had to explain that it would be fine, that she had nothing to worry about.

"When I was young…"

"How young?" Jemmy demanded.

"Oh, I don't know. I'd been Yoda's padawan about half a year. Mace and Dex and myself were more or less the same age. Well, Dex was a little younger and Mace a little older but we were good friends. Also part of our social group was a padawan called Lydia Sheil. She had a bit of a thing about Dex."

"Naturally," Jemmiah nodded, "he's Corellian."

"Anyhow," Qui-Gon continued, "We all wanted to go out one day because we were fed up with being in the temple. We just decided that we had to get out. Of course, our masters didn't know about this."

"And what happened?" Jemmy asked.

Qui-Gon cast his mind back into the distant past. In some ways it felt as if it had happened yesterday, still vivid and fresh in his mind…

"We went to numerous places we shouldn't have. Cantinas, clubs, you name it and we went there. Eventually we went to this fairground that was doing a planetary tour. We got to the top of one of the rides and," his voice wavered a little, "Lydia fell out."

"Wasn't she strapped in?" Jemmiah asked.

"Yes, but she hadn't done her harness up properly and it managed to unhook itself when she was at the top." He breathed out. "Dex and Mace didn't see what happened but I tried to stop her from falling. I only slowed her down."

"And?" Jemmiah said softly.

"She died before they could get the medics out to her." Qui-Gon replied. "I took it all to heart. It wasn't just my idea to go to the fairground. I hate these sorts of places. If anyone was keen to go it was Lydia, but I still felt responsible. I kept thinking that if only we hadn't gone, if only I had managed to stop her from falling then she would still be alive today."

Jemmiah looked at him.

"But how could it be your fault? There wasn't anything you could do."

"Precisely." He said. "And it took a good few months of visiting the S.P.O.O.Ks as you call them for me to see that."

"You'd better not tell anyone I'm here." She mumbled.

"Cross my heart." He said. "And Del-Isa Sidatu is a very kind individual."

"Maybe," Jemmiah said, "for a head doctor."

"Talk of the devil." Qui-Gon stood up.

Del-Isa Sidatu was a tall and slender figure with long bi-colored hair like the ticking Jemmiah had seen on some of the wild rodents that lived on Nargotria. The long strands were all woven together in tiny multiple braids and then scooped up in an elaborate clasp at the neck. It immediately caught her attention.

"How did you do that?" Jemmiah asked. "That must have taken ages!"

"I'm sure I can show you." She smiled, her dark skin wrinkling at the eyes. "You like braids?"

Qui-Gon waved his hands.

"Don't get her started!" He warned. "And please do NOT discuss lipstick, rouge or hair rollers either!"

"But you looked really cute!" Jemmiah shrugged.

"If she starts doing things to my hair when I'm asleep again I'll come and find you!" He warned Sidatu.

"Hmmm. Qui-Gon in rollers. I could have done with seeing that."

"I can get you some holos…" began Jemmy.

"Get in." Jinn pointed into the room. "I'll wait here for you."

She suddenly looked nervous again.

"You won't go away?" She fidgeted.

"I'm sure Master Jinn can fins something amongst our literature to interest him whilst we have a talk." Sidatu smiled. "There's a nice pamphlet on hand weaving on the table."

Jemmiah's eyes fell upon one of the leaflets.

"Here's one that might do you some good." She said, placing it slap in front of him. "Gardening for the beginner. You're going to need it when we get out of here."

***************************

"Would you like to sit down?" Sidatu asked, watching as Jemmiah seemed to be on the edge of bolting out of the room. "Please don't be nervous. I don't eat people, despite what others might tell you." She grinned at the Corellian girl.

Jemmiah looked extremely wary but complied all the same.

"That's better." Sidatu nodded. "We won't do much in this session, just talk and get to know each other a little better."

"This session?" Jemmiah was horrified. "You mean I have to come back?"

Sidatu looked at her intently.

"That rather depends on you, doesn't it? Master Jinn made the appointment for you because he felt it was necessary for you to get to the bottom of these nightmares."

"He's just sore because I woke everyone up." Jemmy grumbled.

"Do you really believe that?" Sidatu raised a questioning eyebrow.

Jemmiah shrugged.

"Well, I got some details from Master Jinn when he contacted us, but I need to know a little more…how old are you exactly?" Sidatu asked.

"Guess." Jemmy said.

The question surprised the soul healer.

"Going on appearance?" She blew out a long breath. "Seven? Eight?"

"Ten." Jemmiah snapped. "I knew you'd say seven. I could have put money on it."

"Does that bother you?" Sidatu asked her.

"Wouldn't it bother you?" Jemmiah retorted. "Everyone treats me like I'm a little girl. Either that or I'm some kind of retard."

"And it makes you annoyed?"

"Too right it does!" Jemmiah bristled. "So you can put that on your list of things to tell Master Jinn after we're through here."

"You certainly don't act like you're seven. More like fifteen." Sidatu smiled.

Jemmiah stared balefully at her.

"I've got better things to do than sit here." She mumbled.

"Oh, such as?" The healer asked.

"I've got a plant to tend to."

"You like gardening?" She asked.

Jemmiah let a lazy, lopsided grin spread across her face.

"Actually, I hate it. That's what makes it a challenge."

"Now I'm confused."

"I've confused a SPOOK! Hey, that's made my day!" Jemmy chuckled quietly. "I've got a project at school. I have to grow some bulbs. Only up until this morning there was nothing to see. But suddenly it's beginning to go somewhere. I'm gonna beat Sophie Digwurt if it kills me." She spat.

"Sophie Digwurt?"

"I'd like to flatten her smug face with an iron bar but Master Jinn wouldn't be too pleased so I mostly ignore her."

"Do you like school?" Sidatu asked, offering the Corellian a biscuit.

Jemmy picked out the caramel one and held it up.

"He didn't tell you my age but he did tell you what my favorite biscuits are." She smiled.

Sidatu regarded her for a moment.

"Do you want to discuss these nightmares?" She enquired gently.

Jemmiah munched on the biscuit for a moment.

"I don't like school." She said with a dazzling smile. "I hate the kids, I have no friends and the teachers are like prison guards. But I like the work. I don't mind that." She paused to like the chocolate off one finger. "And no. I don't want to talk about my nightmares."

"Why not?"

"Because they are private. I only share my thoughts with one person." She pointed at her chest. "Me."

"Doesn't it get difficult, having nobody to confide in?" Sidatu asked.

"I'm used to it."

"On Corellia or Nargotria?"

"Told you about that, did he?"

"Don't you want to be rid of these dreams?" Sidatu persisted.

"They'll never go away. What's the point in talking about it?"

"You won't know if you don't try." The healer replied. "Are you sure you don't want to…"

"Quite sure."

"Then we'll talk about something else."

"Like what?"

"How you get on with Master Jinn and his padawan."

Jemmiah had just about had enough.

"I get on with them just fine. I keep reminding myself everyday that I owe my neck to them so that whenever I'm on the point of saying something horrible I back down." She snorted. "Some days are easier than others."

"What about…" She looked at her notes. "Obi-Wan?"

"Yeah, he's OK. I thought he was kinda quiet to start with but he's not really. Actually, he's got quite a neat line in practical jokes. But I think you'd better not tell Master Jinn that one."

"Why are you so concerned about what I discuss with Master Jinn?"

"Because I'm only here by his good grace, and the council's. If I stuff up I could find myself dumped in some kids home before you could say May the force be with you." Jemmiah laughed. "So I'd really think carefully about what you tell him, if I were you, because you could wreck my chances of staying here."

"That won't happen." Sidatu stated in amazement.

"Won't it? You tell him something he doesn't want to hear? If you said that I was round the twist are you seriously telling me he'd keep me here?"

"I'm not going to be saying anything of the sort." She answered.

"Well, then. There shouldn't be any problem. Next question, please." Jemmiah said defiantly.

"OK." Sidatu asked. "Why do you think you get so angry?"

Jemmiah frowned.

"Who says I get angry?"

"Don't you?"

"I asked first." Jemmiah looked at her. "Let me guess. Master Jinn. Again. Hmmm, I'll have to watch myself from now on."

"Look, Jemmiah I am here to try and help you. I'm not trying to cause any trouble between you and Qui-Gon Jinn. If you have problems we will get them sorted out. OK? But you have to let me help you."

A ghost of a smile played on Jemmiah's lips.

"You know, you were doing quite well up until you said that." She stood up. "But guess what. You blew it. Now, if you don't mind I'm going home."

"Please don't go just yet." Sidatu responded. "As I say, you don't have to answer anything you don't want to, is that alright?"

Jemmiah stood for a while, considering. Then she sat back down.

"OK." She said.

***************************

"Well?" Qui-Gon asked some forty-five minutes later. "Did she tell you anything?"

"No." said Sidatu with a smile. "And that in itself was extremely revealing."

Qui-Gon shook his head.

"Do you mind if I ask for some clarification on this point?" 

Sidatu drummed her fingers on the table.

"We didn't discuss her nightmares at all because she refused point blank to talk about them. She was on the verge of walking out and then I told her she didn't have to answer any questions she didn't want to."

"And?"

"She hardly spoke another word during the course of the next thirty five minutes." Sidatu grinned in defeat. "She's a sharp one alright. Definitely knows her own mind. Although she actually said very little I was able to read between the lines. She was very uncomfortable with me. Her body language was screaming KEEP AWAY in big letters."

"So what DID you find out?" He asked, confused.

"Well, she's determined to be independent. She thinks that if she confides in anyone then it's going to be seen as a sign of weakness. That and the fact that she's just not used to having people to speak to. The idea makes her uneasy. She doesn't like her classmates at school and she has nobody to play with but she doesn't seem too heartbroken by that. In fact she seems to have taken all her frustrations out on someone in particular, er…" she looked at her notes.

"Sophie Digwurt?" offered Qui-Gon.

"Yes. I believe that was the name." Sidatu nodded.

"Oh, I know all about Ms Digwurt. She sounds utterly enchanting." Jinn rolled his eyes. "She's made some rather unkind remarks about her recently and it didn't go down very well as you can imagine."

"Yes, and that's what I was going to mention." Sidatu said. "She's still not very secure with either herself or her own position in your household."

Qui-Gon's face registered surprise.

"She told you that?"

"More or less. She was extremely worried that I was going to say something about her that might cause you to change your mind about her living with you. She's also thoroughly frustrated about other people's attitudes to her. The fact that she's so far behind everyone else in her class physically because of that wasting illness has made her a very angry young lady."

"Angry?"

"At herself, more than anything else. I think a little confidence boosting might help."

Qui-Gon nodded.

"What about those nightmares?"

"There's not much point in you bringing her back if she's not prepared to talk. And I'm convinced that she either can't or won't. I've got two suggestions that might help.

Firstly, your padawan is what, four and a bit years older than she is? See if you can't get her to speak to him more. She seems to like him, going on what she told me. Perhaps she'll trust someone closer to her own age.

Secondly, I recommend you buy her a diary."

"A diary?"

"To write down whatever she likes, from what she had for breakfast to how she feels after her nightmares. To deal with a problem you have to face it. If she confides in her diary it might help her through the worst of it. It's better to make your peace with a book than with nobody at all."

Qui-Gon took in the information, slowly running it through his head.

"I'd say you've got your hands full, Master Jinn. But you should be able to make some progress."

"My thanks to you." He replied.

"Not at all. I'm always here if you need to talk…"

"Oh, no. You're not getting me on that couch."

"Pity." She sighed. "Oh, well."

As he turned to leave, Sidatu called out after him.

"Good luck with that plant of yours. It sounds like you've got some serious competition."

Qui-Gon paused at the door.

Perhaps this was just what he needed…

**************************

"Halt!" Jinn commanded as the Corellian girl bounded past him through the doorway and headed for the sanctuary of her bedroom.

Jemmiah stopped with her back to him, but her arms slapped down at her side, displaying her annoyance.

"What?" she moaned.

Qui-Gon decided to overlook the sarcasm for once. He could see she was waiting for the big discussion regarding her visit to the soul healers and wondered if now really was the right time to talk.

"You left this behind." He said, pointing at the plant pot.

She turned round.

"Can I do some baking?"

Her request surprised him.

"I didn't know you could."

"Oh, yes." She nodded. "I usually prefer to let everyone else do it though because that way you get the benefit without the hard work!"

"Somebody's swapped you with my padawan." Jinn muttered. "OK. But only because I'm here to supervise."

Jemmiah nodded and headed for her room.

"Where are you going? The kitchen is that way?" He asked in confusion. "I don't know what's wrong with you. One minute you're talking about gardening and the next you want to be a chef! Have you forgotten your plant already?"

Her head shook rigorously.

"Oh, no. This has got EVERYTHING to do with my plant." She said. "And I'll be right back. I need to get some things."

Qui-Gon sighed and sank back into his comfortable chair.

He didn't know what to do for the best and he was wondering if his indecision was beginning to show. A child lacking the force was just as much a challenge as one whom possessed it. And he wasn't certain that he was coping at all well.

She felt insecure, so Sidatu had said. Qui-Gon somehow had to make her feel more involved. And her recent obsession with growing this plant bothered him too. It was as if she'd taken all her own frustrations with her lack of development and foisted them onto this poor…what kind of plant was it anyhow?

There were so many factors to consider that it made Qui-Gon's head spin.

Jemmiah returned wearing a headstrong, determined look that he did not care for one little bit.

"What are you up to?" He asked her suspiciously.

"Nothing." Jemmy replied breezily. "Corellian Rock cakes OK for you?"

"Huh..er, yes. I'm sure they'll be very good."

Now more than ever Qui-Gon was convinced that something was going on, and not entirely sure that he wanted to know what it was….

*************************

Mace appeared shortly after lunch.

"What's been going on here?" He surveyed the kitchen, which didn't seem to have an inch free of flour, broken Korrassi Duck eggs and spilled milk. Used utensils and bowls lined the work surface as far as the eye could see.

"We," Qui-Gon said, "have been baking."

Jemmiah wandered over.

"Want one?" She asked Mace, proffering the tray with the little cakes on them. She watched as he uncertainly reached out a hand.

"Are they any good?" He asked.

"Course they are." She became indignant. "I made them!"

Mace chewed for a while, forming his opinion.

"Actually, they are quite good." He sounded surprised.

"See?" she said as she looked up at Qui-Gon. "I told you I could bake. The confidence you have in me is overwhelming."

Qui-Gon took one from the tray.

"Where did you learn to cook?" He asked, as he bit into the cake.

"My mother used to cook. When she died there was another woman called Rusa who used to do the meals. I learned mostly from her."

"She taught you quite well, apparently." Qui-Gon looked equally astonished. "Even if the output doesn't quite match the input." He pointed at the collection of dirty dishes.

"What are you talking about?" She frowned, turning round to look.

As she glanced away, Qui-Gon and Mace both grabbed another couple of cakes each.

"I'll clean those up in a moment…hey! Where did they go?" She glared. "I've never seen such a bunch of Gamorreans in my life!"

"Take it as a complement." Mace said with a mouthful of cake. "And anyhow, you've got plenty more over there."

Mace pointed at the cake mountain in the corner.

"Uh-uh. They're not for us." Jemmy shook her head adamantly. "They're special. I'm taking them to school tomorrow."

Qui-Gon smiled.

"A peace offering?" He asked.

"Well…not exactly. But I'm sure SOMEONE will take them. You see, I know of other Gamorreans who like to eat just as much as you do."

"I'm very pleased." Qui-Gon said in relief. "It's an extremely good way to patch up a quarrel. I'm impressed. Infact, just to show you how impressed I am with your maturity I shall do the cleaning up."

"N-no. That isn't necessary." Jemmiah began nervously.

"Take him up on it." Mace insisted. "Qui-Gon thinks that padawans and dishes were made for each other."

"But I made the mess. I should be the one to…"

Again Qui-Gon was pleased with her grown-up attitude.

"I insist. And Mace will help me, won't you?"

"Eh?"

"See. He agrees." Qui-Gon pointed at the chair. "You can sit down and watch some holos if you want."

"Thanks." Jemmy blinked.

Mace grumbled something as Qui-Gon threw him a dishtowel.

"Precocious little thing, isn't she?" Windu muttered as he put on an apron.

"I only wish my padawan had such a mature attitude." Qui-Gon said proudly. "Wash or dry?"

"Dry."

"Should have guessed." Jinn rolled his eyes.

Jemmiah put her hands over her face.

She didn't think Qui-Gon would be so keen to commend her maturity if he'd known what exactly she'd put in that second batch of rock cakes…

"So, what did you come round for?" Jinn asked as he plunged his hands into the water. "Come to admit defeat over your plant?"

"Is yours doing any better?" Mace shot back.

Qui-Gon felt himself becoming defensive.

"I haven't had the time to even consider it." Qui-Gon remarked testily. "I've had other things to contend with."

"Like?"

"Such as taking that one," he nodded at Jemmiah, "to see the soul healers."

Mace looked at the Corellian girl out the corner of his eye.

"Problems?"

"Difficulty letting go of the past and a certain degree of apprehension as regards the future, I would say." Qui-Gon summed up the meeting with Sidatu rather succinctly.

"Will she be alright?" Mace asked.

"Why are you so interested?" Qui-Gon said not unkindly. "When I first brought her back you were one of the main opposition to her staying."

"I thought you were taking on too much." Mace said firmly. "I had nothing against her whatsoever. I was just concerned that you were leaping into this without any consideration at all as to the effect it would have on all three of you." He held up his hands. "You were right and I was wrong. I admit it."

Qui-Gon smiled.

"Thank you. Although there have been times when I began to wonder if you weren't right after all. Like last night when she challenged me about going to bed as I instructed. And when I found out the reason behind it I felt extremely guilty."

"Not easy, being a parent." Mace smiled.

"Talking of which, when are you going to take another padawan?" Qui-Gon smiled. "When are you going to get your new dishwasher installed."

Mace flicked the dishtowel at him.

"I've never understood why you insist on hand washing this stuff." He brandished an old style egg whisk. "What's wrong with getting all the modern luxuries and appliances of modern technology installed?"

"Because," Qui-Gon replied, "It's a good way of learning discipline."

"You need discipline?"

"Not for me, for the padawans" His face became clouded. "Not that it did Xanatos any good."

Mace dried one of the bowls in silence for a moment.

"Yoda seems quite friendly with young Jemmiah." Mace stated casually.

"So? He was my master. It's only natural that he would want to keep an eye on her and Obi-Wan." Jinn frowned.

"He thinks she's important." Mace said bluntly.

"Important?" Qui-Gon's head snapped round to meet Windu's. "In what way?"

Mace shrugged.

"He's seen something, hasn't he? That's why he was so firmly on our side when I took on the council over her custody."

"Perhaps." Mace nodded.

"And Yoda told you this?" Qui-Gon stopped what he was doing. "You know too, don't you?"

Mace replied carefully.

"I think we might have some problems in the future and that Yoda is convinced that it is important to make sure that we keep a watch over your ward."

"What sort of problems?" He asked. "The Jedi order?"

"Bigger than that, possibly." Mace said, drying a sieve with the cloth.

"That is no answer at all." Qui-Gon actually looked upset.

"It's the only one I can give you." Windu replied.

Silently they both continued their tasks: one to dry and the other to wash. Thinking thoughts that neither of them wanted to think. The future of their order seemed so secure…didn't it? That anything should happen to destroy that stability was incomprehensible to Qui-Gon. 

"This is like the old days." Mace commented as he tried to break the gloomy quiet that had ensued.

"What is?" Jinn grunted.

"Us washing dishes. Usually it was for punishment."

"I got to wash far more dishes than you." Qui-Gon remarked.

"No you did not!" Mace retorted. "It was nearly always your fault but I got caught!"

"Nothing's changed in that respect." Qui-Gon smiled slightly. "I always used to complete my punishments faster than you because," he splashed some water at Mace, "I was better at everything than you were."

"No you weren't!" Mace looked annoyed.

"Yes, I was!" Jinn shot back.

"I'll bet I can get that silly plant to grow faster than you." Mace let his voice climb so that Jemmiah could hear him.

"I'll bet you can't!" Qui-Gon grinned.

"200 credits say you can't!"

"Done!"

Jemmiah walked over to them with her plant pot in hand.

"You'll both have to go some to beat me!" She grinned.


	4. Default Chapter Title

A day and a half later Qui-Gon glared into the soil of his plant pot.

Why wasn't it growing? What was he doing wrong?

Sith, he was beginning to sound like Jemmiah…

"You put this in the same time as your one?" He indicated the bulb with a sweep of the hand.

"Yup." Jemmy nodded. "Well. A day later. I did my one at school but it was easier to take the others home as bulbs and then plant them."

Qui-Gon nodded, not really paying attention.

Jemmiah watched him as he sat miserably beside the plant pot, wearing an expression half way between disgust and misery. Part of her wanted to laugh her head off at the irony and the other part wanted to tell him she knew how he felt. 

"I'm NOT letting him beat me. No way!" Qui-Gon refused to countenance it. "I would never live it down. And besides…"

"You're incredibly mean with money and you don't want to pay him!" Grinned Jemmy, lying along the sofa on her front, kicking her legs up idly.

"I am not mean." Qui-Gon looked shocked. "Frugal, maybe."

"That's the same as mean on Corellia." Jemmiah replied.

"And what do you remember about Corellia?" Qui-Gon said absently, hoping to trick her into talking.

He watched her out of the corner of one eye and could see he hadn't tricked her at all. And yet she still decided to speak.

"Not much, really." She chewed her lip. "I remember we had a big garden. There was this huge tree that used to throw down acorns onto us. Father built a swing to push us on. Todd always fell off!" She laughed at the memory. "He always ran back to the house with cuts on his knees and scrapes on his head. But I was brilliant and I used to sit tight even when the swing went right up to the top so I could almost touch the branches."

"I didn't know you remembered your father." Qui-Gon looked surprised. "You never mentioned him before."

"I don't really." She smiled slightly. "He was really tall. He was just a pair of legs to me. Mother always said he was a pilot. I used to think that was pretty neat. But then she said he hadn't come back from a mission one day. They found the wreckage in the sea." 

She looked at Qui-Gon in embarrassment.

"I find it difficult to get upset about him, does that sound terrible? I don't remember him at all well. And it's not easy to get attached to a pair of occasionally visiting legs."

Jinn shook his head.

"No. There's no shame in that." He replied. "What else do you remember?"

"About Corellia?" Jemmiah crinkled her brow. "Not much. We had this pet Vampki; he was a huge furry, ugly looking thing. He used to sit on my head like a hat! The size of his hairy feet was incredible, and when he jumped about you could hear him for miles. That's why we gave him his name."

"And what was that?" 

"General Thunderpaws!" Jemmy giggled. "Wasn't that great? He had these massive eyebrows just like the pictures of General Zzubaki you see in history books. That was my idea."

"I thought it would be." Qui-Gon said. "And your brother?"

"Todd?" She twisted her hair around her finger uncomfortably. "What about him?"

"You only mentioned him once, as far as I recall." Jinn asked carefully. "What do you remember about him?"

Jemmiah looked at the floor for a moment.

"He was a year older than me. We used to play together a lot, but that's about it. I guess I'm worried…" She halted awkwardly.

"Worried about what?" Qui-Gon asked gently.

"That I'll forget him. Sometimes I can barley remember what he looked like."

Jinn nodded slowly.

"What happened to him?" He asked.

Jemmy chose her words carefully.

"Merdan didn't want him." She answered finally.

Ignoring the laden silence, Jemmiah tried valiantly to change the topic, pointing instead at the soil.

"So what do you think is wrong?" She asked. "You going to beat Windu or what?"

"That's Master Windu to you." Qui-Gon replied, glad to talk about something else. "And of course I am going to beat him."

"How?" Jemmiah persisted.

"I don't know."

Qui-Gon turned his thoughts back to the plant pot, at least partially, crumbling the soil in between his fingers.

Jemmiah walked over to him.

"Master Jinn." She said seriously.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Umm…don't take this the wrong way."

"What?" 

"It's just that," she looked from side to side as if afraid of being overheard, "I don't think staring at it is going to help."

Qui-Gon sat straight up, eyes gleaming dangerously.

"You little…never, EVER use my own words back at me!" He laughed.

"What's so exciting about it, anyway? You can't see anything happening?"

"OK, OK!" He admitted. "I was wrong!"

"Don't you think you're taking it all a little bit too seriously? It's not going to answer you back!" Jemmiah ran through to the safety of the kitchen.

"Oh, look where I've fetched up!" she smirked as she came to a sliding halt by the refrigeration unit.

"Jemmiah, leave those cakes alone until after our meal…"

Qui-Gon gave up as he saw her hand reach in for one of her rock cakes.

"Oh, yes. That reminds me." He smiled at her. "How did it go?"

"What?" She asked, puzzled.

"The peace offering?"

Jemmiah tried to think what he was talking about…

"Oh, I know what you mean!" She said suddenly as the dawn of realization fell upon her. "I have to say, that Operation Digwurt was a complete success."

"You see?" Jinn replied. "I knew you'd make it up."

"Oh, we didn't do that." Jemmy shook her head in rigorous denial.

"Then how…?"

Jemmy began to inch slowly towards her bedroom, wiping crumbs from her mouth as she went.

"Sophie is a complete swamp hog. I've never seen anyone stuff food away like her. Not even Obi-Wan."

"And?"

"She has the rather annoying habit of hitting people until they hand their food over to her. Either that or she raids your personal locker. Happens to me quite a lot."

Qui-Gon folded his arms.

"You never said."

"I figured I'd give her a taste of her own medicine." Jemmy chuckled, still inching towards her room. "And I knew those rock cakes would be too much of a temptation."

Jinn closed his eyes.

"Go on." He groaned.

"Well, lets say she won't be stealing anyone's food for a long time. Let's see how a trip to the emergency dentist will curb that particular pleasure."

"What?" Qui-Gon asked in alarm.

"Those rock cakes?" Jemmy's face was apologetic but her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"What about them?"

She was within running distance of her door.

"Turns out they had real rocks in 'em."

*****************************

"Two weeks." Grumbled Jemmiah with her arms up to her elbows in foam. "Two weeks of washing dishes, all because of that Digwurt creature."

Obi-Wan shrugged. 

"You were lucky you didn't get a whole month." He replied as he looked up from the assignment he was writing. "When Zac and I put gum in our master's boots that's what we got."

"Did you do that?" Jemmy looked interested.

"Uh-huh. But don't go getting any ideas. Qui-Gon's a great person to have on your side but not very nice when you cross him."

"So I found out." Jemmiah moped. "You know, he wasn't so much upset that I did that thing to Sophie but that I got him and Master Windu to wash the dishes whilst I sat in the comfortable chair and watched holos."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Sounds like my master. He probably thinks your schoolmate deserved it. Not that he'd admit it."

"Actually," Jemmiah looked uncertain, "I think he's afraid to come down like a permacrete brick on me because he doesn't know how to treat me at the moment."

"The Soul Healer thing?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yeah," she let her face slide into a sneer, "that. You know, a less honest person would take advantage of that."

"And you're not going to?" The padawan popped a chocolate into his mouth.

"What's the point?" The ten-year-old groused as she scrubbed at the scrambled egg sticking to the pan. "All that does is drag this whole thing out. And he'll just think I'm psychologically damaged and send me back to that Sidatu woman."

She stopped for a moment, lost in thought.

"I can't pretend I'm sorry for what I did. And anyhow, if I hadn't then Digwurt would have just gone on tormenting everyone for ever and ever and ever…"

"That's why you should have spoken to me."

Jemmiah was so surprised she nearly dropped the dishes back into the water.

"Master Jinn?" she stammered. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough." He said.

"I wish you Jedi people wouldn't do that."

"What?"

"All that sneaking around. It's not dignified."

"Correct. About as dignified as putting rocks inside cakes."

Jemmiah dried the pan on the dishtowel, scowling at him.

"She's only got broken teeth. It'll stop her from thieving what doesn't belong to her."

"I could have done that." Qui-Gon shook his head.

"No you couldn't!" Jemmy insisted. "Have you any idea what school is actually like? If you're the slightest bit different from all the others then they bully you. If you show the smallest trace of weakness they'll pick on you 'till the end of time. Imagine what I would suffer if I had you go speak to my teacher and tell them I was getting harassed! I'd never hear the end of it!"

"I think you're exaggerating. Children have short memories. There's always something new to fall out over."

"Master Jinn." Jemmiah twisted the dishtowel in agitation, "I mean no offence so please don't jump on me for this, but how long has it been since you were a kid?"

Obi-Wan failed to cover his snickering.

Qui-Gon pointedly ignored the question.

"She could have choked on those stones and died." Qui-Gon said sternly.

"I never thought of that." Jemmy paused for a moment. "Not to self: must get bigger stones next time."

"What was that about a next time?"

"Nothing."

"I should hope not." Qui-Gon stared at her with his icy blue gaze. "I want your word that you will NEVER try anything of this nature again."

Jemmiah shook her head.

"I can't do that."

"Pardon?" Qui-Gon couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I don't go picking fights with people," she said slowly, "but if someone has a go at me it is my right to defend myself in whatever way I see fit. That's what I was brought up to think."

"Who taught you that?" He asked coldly.

"My friend Nadine at Merdan's camp." She replied.

"Well, she is not looking after you now. I am." He answered. "There are ways of defending yourself that do not jeopardize other peoples' welfare."

"Speaking to the head teacher?" she said bitterly. "I'd be better off suffering in silence."

Qui-Gon was not going to give in.

"You have to learn that you cannot go taking the law into your own hands. If you think this now it will only get you into greater trouble later on. Should you never listen to another piece of advice I give you, please take this one on board."

He left her to think it over for a moment.

"How's the assignment, padawan?"

"I'm having a little difficulty."

"In what way?"

"Making the words in my mind project themselves onto the workstation."

"Hmm." Qui-Gon mused as he saw the single line on the screen that Obi-Wan had managed to produce. "Perhaps a little more of this," he indicated his fingers typing, "and a bit less of this," he scrunched up an empty chocolate wrapper, "might help you to focus a bit better."

Obi-Wan sighed.

"Have you considered what I was saying?" Qui-Gon asked Jemmiah.

"About what?"

"Not taking the law into your own hands." He replied relentlessly.

"I can't promise you anything I might not be able to stick to." She grumbled. "I'll do my best."

"Thank you." He nodded. "Did that hurt so much?"

"Ask me again when I come back from school all battered and bruised with my arms out my sockets and my hair set on fire." She muttered so he couldn't hear her.

He walked over to the doorway and picked up a writing implement.

"Have you finished the dishes?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Just about." 

"Good. Dry your hands and come over here."

She stared at him distrustfully but did as she was told.

"Against the wall." He said.

"W-why?" she asked.

"Just do it, please." He instructed. "And take your shoes off."

Jemmiah swallowed but stood with her back to the wall.

"Don't move."

Qui-Gon took the scribe and drew a tiny mark on the wall by the door right where the top of Jemmiah's head was.

"Right thank you." He smiled.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"I am going to repeat that process every month." He said calmly. "Then maybe you will be able to see for yourself how much you've grown."

"It won't work." She said sorrowfully. "I think I'm destined to be a midget."

"I used to think that, and look what happened to me." Qui-Gon replied. "I put it down to Yoda's gruel. For years he worried about me. Wondering if I was too thin or not tall enough for my age. I got extra helpings of the stuff. He never realized the real reason behind his extraordinary tall Rushali Blossom plant."

"You didn't?" Jemmiah laughed.

"I did. It was the only one that did like it though. All the others died."

Jemmiah smiled cheekily at him.

"If that's your secret weapon then it's not working." She grinned. "Your plant STILL isn't growing. Look at mine!"

Qui-Gon followed her gaze to the shoot that was rapidly beginning to grow out of the soil.

"There's two weeks left." He said defensively.

"But I'm going to win." Jemmy winked at him. "Master Windu has no chance. I'm afraid it doesn't look too good for you either."

He met her challenging stare.

"There's one thing you don't know about me, Tangles." He replied. "I like to win."

"I think you're going to be disappointed." She answered smugly.

"Oh, I wouldn't start crowing yet." He teased her. "A lot can happen in two weeks. And I can be extremely competitive when I put my mind to it."

"Tell me about it." Grumbled Obi-Wan.

"Nothing wrong in wanting to come first." Qui-Gon answered the boy.

"At all costs?" Jemmy asked. "Isn't that taking the law into your own hands, Master Jinn?"

Qui-Gon frowned at her.

"Tangles, I will yet be victorious. You'll see."

He reached forward with an outstretched hand and stole Obi-Wans' last chocolate.

"Sophie Digwurt's got nothing on you." Obi-Wan sulked.

**********************************

The days seemed to fly past far too quickly for Qui-Gon's liking.

Jemmiah's plant had suddenly started to shoot up and up and up, putting forth a display of tiny bluish flowers.

She hadn't stopped celebrating yet.

He, on the other hand still found himself looking at a heap of brown soil that showed no signs at all of springing into life. Time and time again he found himself wondering what he was doing wrong. He watered it, he fed it, and he made sure it got enough light. He even tried meditating with the darned thing sitting in his lap.

Then Obi-Wan came back to the apartment and caught him. The grin on his face told him exactly how amusing the boy had found it.

Well, he would not give up. That was not the Jedi way. Even although Jemmiah's plant was seemingly growing as he looked, mocking his own inability to tend its companion.

When the comlink chirped he wasn't astounded to hear Windu's voice on the other end.

"How's it going Qui?" he grinned. "How's my 200 credits?"

"They are my 200 credits and they are going to stay that way." Qui-Gon huffed.

"That's what you think." Mace said.

"And how is your plant doing?" Qui-Gon asked conversationally.

The pause was extremely revealing.

"Fine, fine." He said suspiciously. "Why shouldn't it be?"

"I bet you haven't even got it to break the surface." Qui-Gon stated.

"Have so."

"Liar."

"Well, what if I haven't?" Mace growled. "Stupid plant. I've tried everything! I've drowned it in plant food; I've baked it in sunlight and floated it in water. I've even tried breathing on it! What else is there to do?"

Qui-Gon shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Yoda said to Jemmiah that they respond to music."

"So?"

"We could always…sing to them."

"You said music, Qui. Not caterwauling."

"There's nothing wrong with my voice." Qui-Gon bristled.

"Wrong? It sound's like a Nerf in a mincing machine!"

Jinn was glad Mace could not see his annoyed expression.

"Well, I'm going to try it." He said in an injured voice.

"If anything's going to kill it off that will do it." Mace replied.

"Well, thanks Windu. I love you too. Just get my 200 credits ready."

Qui-Gon terminated the conversation and drummed his fingers against the pot and glared at Jemmiah's tall, leafy plant. He could swear it was laughing at him.

"I just want you to know that you are one ugly plant." The Jedi snapped.

**************************

"How's it all going at your place?" Zac yawned. 

"Assignments, exams, assignments, missions, assignments, housework and…"

"Assignments?" Zac hazarded. 

"Got it one." Obi-Wan nodded. "You are lucky that your master doesn't get field work. You get to deal with all the technical aspects of sabre practise."

"You get that too." Zac straightened his robe.

"Yes, and I'm good for my age. Everyone says so. But I could be better."

"Not as good as me." The padawan thrust his chest out proudly.

"Nobody is better than you." Kenobi grimaced.

"I know!" He smiled momentarily then let it fade on his face. "But it's not all good. My poetry is suffering."

Obi-Wan shook his head.

"Zac, I mean this with the best will in the world. Your poetry is…not very good."

"That's because I don't get the time to practise!" Zac remarked. "It's almost impossible to think up new and original verses whilst you're in the middle of a Katta."

"I suppose so." Obi-Wan grinned. "Want to grab something to eat at my place?"

"Sure. Why not?" Zac smiled.

They walked back to Qui-Gon's residence slowly, catching up on the events of the previous day.

"You know Obi, I think my muse has abandoned me." Zac sighed.

"It hasn't Zac, it's just…having a rest." Kenobi tried to reassure him. "One day soon you'll get inspiration from something and you'll be back to writing out verses of utter garbage just like before."

Zac thumped him between the shoulder blades.

"There's nothing wrong with my poetry." He laughed.

"It stinks, Zac! You know it too."

"But it's fun!"

"You just like to torture people, that's your problem." Obi-Wan shook his head as they loitered outside the door. "I swear that you've got a nasty streak…"

"Shhh!" Zac put a hand to his ear. "What's that sound?"

Obi-Wan listened carefully.

"I don't know." He looked blankly at Zac.

"Sounds a bit like…singing?"

"My master doesn't sing. Not even in the bath." Obi-Wan frowned. "What is he up to?"

"I don't know." Zac grinned incorrigibly. "Why don't we try and find out?"

**********************

Jinn felt ever so slightly embarrassed about this. Singing for one's own pleasure was one thing, not that he did a lot of that. Singing to a plant was one stage away from committal…

He shook his head and thought of the humiliation he would suffer if Mace managed to get his plant to grow and he did not. He was desperate and prepared to try almost anything. So preoccupied was he that he didn't hear the door opening behind him, or sense the presence of others within the apartment…

Qui-Gon cleared his throat.

"From Korrassi to Kashyyyk

And fair Alderaan,

Naboo, Corellia

And sweet Florizan 

There's no girl who can match you

You are without peer…"

"But I can't afford you because you're so dear!" Finished Zac with a delighted expression on his face. "Hey Obi, you were right! My muse hasn't abandoned me!"

Qui-Gon spun round in shock.

"Er…Master, we wanted to…um, get something to eat…but I think we'll just leave you to it." Obi-Wan tried not to smile as they both edged backwards out the door, nearly getting stuck in the frame.

"Er…yes. We'll just go then, Master Jinn. I like the pot of soil. It's very…nice." Zac agreed before turning to flee.

Qui-Gon buried his head in his hands.

Now his padawan was convinced he was insane. And Zac was probably composing poems about strange Jedi masters who talked to plant pots.

He glared at the soil.

"What is WRONG with you?" He hissed. "Why don't you grow?"

Qui-Gon decided to do a little investigation and dug deep into the soil with his hands until he came across the bulb. Carefully he scraped away the soil and pulled it out.

Suddenly the answer became all too apparent.

Qui-Gon thumped his head off the table four times.

"And well you might!" Mace stormed in through the still open door. "I decided to have a bit of a look at this bulb to see what was wrong with the thing. And guess what?"

"You as well." Qui-Gon looked up. "It seems our would be gardening expert has made a bit of a blunder."

"A blunder?" Mace growled. "I bet it was on purpose! Little Corellian minx! She's sitting there somewhere having a laugh at us!"

"No." Qui-Gon said. "She wouldn't do that."

Mace snorted disgustedly.

"Then answer me this. Who else would plant a bulb UPSIDE DOWN in a plant pot?"

*****************************

A few days later and Qui-Gon had sent a rather excited Jemmiah on her way to school, armed with her plant to await the final result of the contest. He hoped she wouldn't be too disappointed if she didn't do well. And hoped she wouldn't be too hard to live with should Sophie Digwurt managed to beat her…

He was astonished when barely three hours later Jemmiah turned up at the temple looking rather sad.

"Why aren't you at school?" He demanded.

"No school." She mumbled.

"What? Why?"

"Got sent home." The eyes looked up at him apologetically.

"What have you done?" Qui-Gon stared in shock. 

"I haven't done anything." Jemmiah pouted. "It's not my fault! The whole class got sent home and there wasn't anyone else who could take the classes."

Qui-Gon marched her over to the sofa and instructed her to sit.

"Now, tell me." He began.

"Well," she began uncomfortably, "you know that today was the day that our plants were supposed to be judged."

"Yes, I was aware of this." Qui-Gon said as patiently as he could manage.

"It didn't happen."

"Go on." He prompted.

"You see, our teacher who was s'posed to be picking the winner…"

"Yes?"

"Got arrested." She finished.

Qui-Gon's mouth dropped open.

"What for?" he asked.

"It seems that those bulbs he got everyone to grow were a little bit…dodgy."

"In what way?" Qui-Gon said in dread of the answer.

"Turns out they were…Lucifer Tree-Winders."

"Oh, please tell me you are joking!" Qui-Gon's voice expressed his horror.

Jemmy shook her head.

"Master Jinn, don't they make Drekk out of that stuff?" she asked.

"Yes, yes they do." Qui-Gon nodded, closing his eyes at the thought of the highly toxic and addictive drug. "It's a good thing those flowers never opened or we would have all been high as Rock Falcons."

Jemmiah looked at her feet.

"What was your teacher thinking of?" Qui-Gon was one step away from being angry. "Getting innocent young children to grow a potentially lethal drug producing plant!"

"I put in soooooo much effort into growing that thing." She sniffed. "I sweated blood over that stupid plant and they took it away so they could burn it! Tell me what the point of that was."

Qui-Gon put his hand on her shoulder.

"I think the point of this is that I am going to have to consider a change of school for you." Qui-Gon said dryly.

"No more Sophie Digwurt!" she beamed.

"Yes, well things don't happen overnight. You'll have to keep going to your present school until I can arrange a transfer."

Jemmiah kicked her feet against the sofa.

"I'm bored." She said.

"You've only got in. How can you be bored already?" Qui-Gon frowned.

"I could try some more baking."

"No thank you." Qui-Gon shook his head.

Pause.

"Oh, they're coming to collect those two bulbs that didn't grow."

"The ones you put in upside down?"

Jemmiah grinned.

"Whoops!" she smirked. "I told you that gardening wasn't my strong point. I think if you don't mind I'll give it a miss from now on."

"I'm very glad to hear it." Qui-Gon replied.

Jemmiah took of her shoes and slid back into the sofa. She hadn't been joking when she'd said she was going to give up gardening. It caused far too much aggravation, and for what? Looking out onto the fern filled balcony she didn't know how Master Jinn could find it all so peaceful and relaxing.

Qui-Gon looked relieved that the whole thing was over and she couldn't say she blamed him.

Perhaps, under the circumstances, now was not the time to tell him about the bulbs she'd planted in the temple gardens…

THE END.


End file.
